By / Bruce Sychuk, Executive Director, SMACNA-BC
SMACNA British Columbia Endowed Scholarship Recipients for 2021
Congratulations to Jordyn Kuelle, whose sheet metal affiliation is Austin Metal Fabricators, and to Tyler McLaren, whose sheet metal affiliation is Ridge Sheet Metal Co. Jordyn is the daughter of Mark and Alena Kuelle. Tyler is the son of Mark and Linda McLaren.
The scholarship is for a one-year term of undergraduate study paid at the rate of US$2,000 per year. Actual disbursement cheques are issued to the address of the recipient in August and December in the amount of US$1,000 and are made payable jointly to the educational institute and the scholarship recipient. The payments may be applied to either tuition or text materials at the discretion of the recipient.
SMACNA-BC’s Endowed Scholarship is administered by the SMACNA College of Fellows and established as an educational aid for students affiliated with the SMACNA-BC chapter. It is funded through members’ generous support.
Congratulations, Jordyn, and best wishes for success in your educational pursuits.
SMACNA-BC Donates $5,000 to Canadian Red Cross BC Wildfire Efforts
Open letter from Canadian Red Cross.
Dear BC Sheet Metal Association,
As dangerous wildfires sweep through British Columbia, many Canadians are in need of urgent assistance. Thousands have already been forced to evacuate and leave their homes behind. Your generous donation helps the Red Cross mobilize disaster response teams and reach impacted individuals and family with emergency help. Your support ensures that we can continue to meet the evolving circumstances of these devastating wildfires.
Thank you for your generosity and compassion. We will keep you updated as the situation unfolds.
Donate to the British Columbia Fires Appeal
The best way Canadians can support people impacted by the fires is through a financial donation. Canadians wishing to help are encouraged to make a financial donation to the British Columbia Fires Appeal ionline at redcross.ca; by calling 1-800-418-1111; or by texting FIRES to 45678.
The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia will each match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross 2021 BC Fires appeal between July 3 and December 31, 2021. This means that every $1 donated will become $2 to support those affected by the wildfires.
Donations will be used for immediate and ongoing relief efforts, long-term recovery, resiliency, and preparedness for future events in British Columbia and impacted regions, including consequential events related to the fires.
SMACNA-BC donates $10,000 to Langley Forest School
Due to COVID-19 restrictions at Northview Golf Club, the SMACNA-BC Board of Directors acknowledged that by not hosting the annual SMACNA-BC Golf Tournament this year, the SMACNA-BC President’s choice of charity would not receive donations normally provided through the 50/50 draw, Beat the Pro, and member donations. It was agreed that SMACNA-BC donate from expenses that were budgeted for this event. I am pleased to announce that SMACNA-BC is donating $10,000 to President Dan Taillefer’s choice of charity, Langley Forest School, Langley’s Environmental Stewardship Program. If any of you wish to take some of the funds that you would have spent on the golf tournament, please consider donating as well. Send an e-transfer to learn@langleyforestschool.com (password: forestschool)
Skilled Trades Certification
BC is introducing Skilled Trades Certification beginning with ten trades. This means people in those trades will have to be a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice to work in these trades.
The trades are foundational to a strong economy in BC. Skilled trades certification will help improve our trades training system to meet the labour demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
Every other province in Canada requires tradespeople to be certified. BC removed that requirement in 2003. This means there are currently thousands of trade workers across the province without formal recognition of their knowledge or skill levels.
These uncertified workers are often paid less and have less employment stability and mobility, which is particularly challenging in a labour market disruption, such as that BC is experiencing with COVID-19 recovery.
By requiring trades workers to be either a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice, skilled trades certification provides a pathway to:
- Significantly raise the skill level of BC’s trades workforce.
- Ensure we have enough skilled trades workers to meet the demands of our future economy.
- Provide opportunities for more trades workers to benefit from post-secondary training and certification that leads to better jobs, higher wages, and lifelong careers.
Selected Trades
The BC government is introducing skilled trades certification beginning with a total of ten trades: three electrical, four mechanical, and three automotive trades. This will be done in stages following the public engagement process to determine how skilled trades certification will be implemented.
The ten trades were selected based on recommendations from a 16-member Stakeholder Advisory Working Group, representing industry associations, labour, post-secondary institutions, Indigenous Skills Trainers, and the Industry Training Authority (ITA).
Full details of this selection process and the rationale for implementing skilled trades certification can be found in the Skilled Trades Certification Business Case at engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/672/2021/06/Business-Case-Skilled-Trades-Certification.pdf
Mechanical trades
1. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic
2. Gasfitter A & B
3. Steamfitter/Pipefitter
4. Sheet Metal Worker
Electrical trades
4. Electrician (Construction)
5. Industrial Electrician
6. Powerline Technician
Automotive trades
8. Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
9. Automotive Service Technician
10. Autobody and Collision Technician
To ensure high standards of supervision, safety, and quality training for apprentices, government will also be introducing journeyperson to apprentice ratios for these ten trades. These ratios will be set based on further consultations with workers, employers, and other industry stakeholders, led by the ITA, in the months ahead.
For Workers and Employers
Skilled trades certification means uncertified workers in selected trades will need to become certified or register as an apprentice with the ITA to be legally able to work in that trade. Once a trade officially requires certification, uncertified workers will have a year before they must register as an apprentice or challenge a certification exam to become a journeyperson.
Skilled Trades Certification is not a new or replacement credential. If a worker is already a certified journeyperson (including Red Seal) or a registered apprentice, nothing will change—they are already in compliance with Skilled Trades Certification.
Trades workers and employers will have an opportunity to help inform the supports needed during this transition, ensuring we have accounted for the perspective of the diverse groups that work in these trades. Following the public engagement process, there will be a one-year transition period where workers and employers will have access to a broad range of supports, services, and opportunities to help them to successfully come into compliance. This includes support from the ITA, which offers multiple pathways for apprentices to enter trades training and/or achieve certification.
Benefits of skilled trades certification?
Standardizing trades skills at a high level – resulting in career growth opportunities and the skills needed to adapt to changing labour needs, while enhancing productivity for employers and BC’s economy over the long term.
Increasing opportunities for under-represented and equity-seeking groups in skilled trades careers by “leveling the employment playing field” – providing a recognized, portable credential for those workers who currently have fewer options for career advancement without formal recognition of their skills.
Increasing prestige of the trades – encouraging more youth to enter the trades to replace retiring workers by improving the perception of trades occupations as being well paid and equal to other professions that require post-secondary credentialing.
Upcoming Events
September 23, 2021, Membership Dinner Meeting – Civic Hotel, Surrey, BC
Guest speakers are Stephanie Pritchard/Camden Consulting & Jud Martel, Sheet Metal Industry Training Centre.
Topic: Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP)
- an overview of the UTIP project objectives as a reminder to contractors as it has been a couple of years since the initial presentation
- review activities related to UTIP project, including highlighting work with project partners (Skill Plan, Skill Ready, and PICS)
- summarize findings from the focus groups (contractors and sheet metal workers) hosted in the spring
- an invitation to join the next focus groups in early 2022
- future plans for UTIP activities (Fan Service Specialty Training and MEWP-VR simulator certification)
Jud is also coordinating a demo of the virtual reality and augmented reality welding equipment onsite, so contractors can try the equipment.
Oct. 24-27, 2021, SMACNA Annual Convention in Maui ■
